Focusing her practice on intellectual property and commercial litigation, Partner Hannah Cannom counsels companies through business disputes and all stages of protection of their intellectual property, with an emphasis on representing clients in the retail, fashion, lifestyle, fitness, and technology industries. From brand protection and enforcement to litigation, clients trust Hannah to provide solutions to complex business and intellectual property threats.

Prior to founding WSC, Hannah was an attorney with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy’s Intellectual Property Group. During her tenure, she was on the trial team that successfully defended Apple against patent infringement claims. Hannah’s accomplishments have earned her consistent recognition as a Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star.

She serves on the Foundation Board of the ACLU of Southern California and has partnered with the organization on numerous pro bono cases, for which she was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award in 2008. Hannah graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania and earned her J.D. from UCLA Law School’s Program in Public Interest Law and Policy. At UCLA, Hannah spent a semester as a legislative extern for California Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero and completed a judicial externship with the Honorable Margaret Grignon of the California Court of Appeal, Second District. Prior to law school, Hannah taught high school special education through Teach for America in San Jose, California.

Intellectual Property

Serving as outside, in-house counsel, Hannah advises her clients on a wide variety of intellectual property matters, including trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, and other business transactions. With an emphasis on brand management, Hannah works with clients to develop strategies to protect their assets and manage their intellectual property portfolios, including performing audits and due diligence of intellectual property in corporate transactions, prosecuting copyright and trademark applications, responding to any opposition, and ensuring that clients have a broad range of intellectual property protections in place.

Global Brand Protection

Hannah assists her clients in protecting and strengthening their brand identity by establishing, protecting, and monetizing their intellectual property. She diligently monitors her clients’ worldwide intellectual property portfolios and aggressively polices use of her clients’ intellectual property throughout the world. She also oversees a team that works closely with various internet marketplaces and Customs and Border Patrol to remove counterfeit product on behalf of exclusive fashion and retail brands. When necessary, she vigorously pursues litigation on her clients’ behalf.

Litigation

Hannah represents clients through all phases of litigation, in matters involving claims of patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, contract disputes, false advertising, unfair competition and business practices, and tort claims. She works with companies who are contemplating filing lawsuits, or who are facing the threat of a lawsuit, to conduct a risk assessment and develop a strategy for litigation avoidance or pre-suit resolution. When litigation can’t be avoided, Hannah uses her extensive litigation and appellate experience to fight tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome for her clients.

One of her notable litigation successes was being on the legal team that defended Apple Inc. against a claim of patent infringement by NetAirus Technologies. The jury verdict was chosen as one of the “Top Defense Verdicts of 2013” by Daily Journal.

Hannah also represents various clients in responding to third-party subpoenas in state and federal court and before the International Trade Commission. Hannah works with her clients to identify the appropriate scope of obligation and, when the parties are unable to agree, will move the court to limit the burden on her client.

Giving Back

Hannah serves on the Foundation Board of the ACLU of Southern California and has partnered with the organization on numerous pro bono cases, for which she was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award in 2008. In 2006, Hannah and the ACLU successfully sued the state of California to allow for a man to take his wife’s name upon marriage. The suit Buday v. California Department of Health and Services, et al. resulted in legislative change and facilitated the way for any person to take his or her spouse’s name upon marriage in California.

Before law school, Hannah taught high school special education through Teach for America. Today, Hannah continues to support low-income students as a member of the Young Professionals Board of the Alliance for College-Ready Public schools where she raises money for college scholarships for Alliance students and mentors them through the college application process.